It is true that in their polemic against confounding
worship with religion they reveal the fact that in their day the
cultus was carried on with the utmost zeal and splendour, and was
held in the highest estimation. But this estimation does not rest
upon the opinion that the cultus, as regards its matter, goes back
to Moses or to Jehovah Himself, gives to the theocracy its
distinctive character, and even constitutes the supernatural
priesthood of Israel among the nations, but simply upon the belief
that Jehovah must be honoured by His dependents, just as other
gods are by their subjects, by means of offerings and gifts as
being the natural and (like prayer) universally current
expressions of religious homage. The larger the quantity, and the
finer the quality, so much the better; but that the merit arising
from the presentation depends upon strict observance of etiquette
regarded as Jehovah's law is not suggested. Thus it is that the
prophets are able to ask whether then Jehovah has commanded His
people to tax their energies with such exertions? the fact
presupposed being that no such command exists, and that no one
knows anything at all about a ritual Torah.
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